Merlin Gonzales

merlin

Merlin founded Faith Hope and Love Intl., which collaborates with churches crossing denominational lines. He has developed the concept of “Mission Trips in Your Own Backyard” to unify the Body of Christ by bringing the love of God into the community. Merlin’s messages and teachings are about raising up a generation passionate for God to build a legacy of transformation. He is an Advisory Council Member for the State of Indiana Office of the Faith-based and a co-host for Religion in the News. Merlin speaks at churches, businesses, government, educational institutions and faith based organizations to encourage people to live out their faith. He is a church consultant helping pastors reach out in their communities to raise and train leaders. Merlin and his wife Annie live in Noblesville, Ind.

Neighborhood Makeovers

Here we are in March and now talking about the neighborhood makeovers that will be happening during FHL Week on July 22-28, 2012. We have several communities who are interested in working together. These makeovers start with Town Hall meetings all around Central Indiana. We had 2 meetings already: Midtown and Martindale-Brightwood area. The next step is the formation of the leadership group. There will be Area Coordinators, Projects, Volunteers and other coordinators available at each community. Each area will start their planning meetings in March. Identification of needs is critical in conceptualizing projects and services to be performed during FHL Week. Next would be refining the realistic projects and then the gathering resources needed to accomplish the projects.
The beauty of this process is that we are training leaders to form their groups, formulate projects and services and getting connected with their respective communities. The end result would be relationship building and then the accomplishment of the projects. We have seen in the past that relationship one of the keys to have a successful neighborhood makeovers. Projects and services are tools to bring the community together. However, much is accomplished through the entire process.
It is exciting to see what could transpire when we are all communicating and working together.
The next Town Hall meetings (to explore opportunities to improve neighborhoods) are:
3/3 11a at FHL office (Hispanic community)
3/7 6:30p West Indy Town Hall at Cloverleaf Baptist 616 Mickley Ave.
3/8 7p Martinsville Town Hall at JK’s Cheesecake Cafe 110 E. Morgan St. 46151
March 19th at Southport IN City Hall 7p
March 28 at Beech Grove City Hall 7P

I hope you can join us at a meeting near you.

Merlin GonzalesNeighborhood Makeovers
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Interview with Greenwood Mayor

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Merlin GonzalesInterview with Greenwood Mayor
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Kingdom perspective from Police dept Chaplain

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Merlin GonzalesKingdom perspective from Police dept Chaplain
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New Song

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Merlin GonzalesNew Song
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Sabbatical

February 13, 2012 was my first Sabbatical ever. I didn’t fully understand the definition of it. All I know is when a person is on sabbatical, he/she cease from working. I was not planning for this sabbatical but a few months ago, my friend Donna encouraged me to take one and do some writings.

So I contacted our friends from the Crossroads Baptist Association whom I met in November last year (2011). I was planning to take the sabbatical in January but it did not work out for them. Rather, they provided me and my wife (she will be staying with me till this coming weekend) a very nice hotel room in the Highland Lakes next to their chapel and dining room free of charge from 2/13-2/23. In addition, I found out that the entire 400-acre camp is empty till the weekend (we’re all alone!). On the way to the place, I just realized that it’s Valentine week. What a perfect time to be with my wife in a camp just by ourselves! I thought to myself that a sabbatical is when things divinely aligned to take away your stress and worries.

So, we got in the room without TV and microwave oven (but with WiFi) and found ourselves asking each other the same question, “What do you do when you are on sabbatical?” Do you read, write, eat,  sleep and do the same thing again for the next several days or weeks? I thought that could be boring.  I fell asleep as I was thinking.

After an hour nap (I don’t normally take naps), I put on my boots and explored the camp. I saw wild animals frolicking around, tall leafless trees, empty cabins, a couple of lakes and totally silent surrounding except for the beautiful sounds of the forest…birds chirping, water rolling down the streams and the gentle wind as it pass through the branches and the leaves on the ground.

Then, some inspirations about writing my book whiz by my mind. Suddenly, I was drawn to peak through one of the Retreat Centers. The backyard was of course wooded area and had a few empty bird feeders. I saw a creek by one of the trails I and took several pictures around me. I turned on my iPod to listen to music on my way back to my room.

So, here I am at the Welcome center of the camp writing this blog in front glass windows. I am looking right now at the trees with branches covered with snow. Next to me are bottled water, an orange, an apple and a jar of peanut butter. My wife just fixed me a hot cup of coffee.

Maybe you don’t really plan what you’re going to do when you are in sabbatical. Just enjoy the surroundings, listen to nature and speak to God. Once He speaks, you just need to listen and then follow His lead. He knows what you need to do when you are on sabbatical.

Merlin GonzalesSabbatical
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